The captain of Cape Verde’s historic World Cup squad is under police investigation over an allegation of rape made by a woman who worked as the team’s translator during a football tournament in New Zealand earlier this year, with FIFA having been aware of the investigation for several weeks before the story became public.
Ryan Mendes, who has captained Cape Verde throughout their remarkable run at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, is accused of raping the woman at an Auckland hotel in March following a match against Chile. New Zealand police confirmed the investigation to the New Zealand Herald, which first reported the story, but declined to provide further details.
The accuser, a Brazilian woman who served as the team’s Portuguese-language translator, initially sought help from officials within Cape Verde’s own football federation before making a formal police complaint — but received no assistance from the federation, according to Brazilian outlet globo.com. She was subsequently treated at a clinic for survivors of sexual violence. The clinical report, which documented injuries across multiple parts of her body, has been provided to investigators, who are awaiting the results of a forensic examination before the case progresses further.
FIFA said in a statement to USA Today that it takes “any allegation of misconduct” seriously and confirmed it had been in contact with New Zealand authorities. Attempts to reach Mendes directly through Cape Verde’s squad email returned an automated message stating the inbox was full.
The timing could not be more significant for the tournament. Cape Verde have been one of the most extraordinary stories of the 2026 World Cup, becoming the smallest nation in history to reach the knockout rounds after an astonishing group stage that included holding world-ranked number one Spain to a goalless draw. Mendes featured in all three group matches. The team is due to face Argentina in the last 32 on Friday.
The case adds to a growing controversy surrounding the participation of players facing serious criminal allegations in the tournament. Ghana’s Thomas Partey has also appeared at the World Cup despite facing seven counts of rape, according to HuffPost, raising wider questions about FIFA’s approach to players under investigation for serious offences.
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, support is available through Rape Crisis England and Wales.
